The present invention relates generally to multi-mode, multi-functional electronic devices and, more particularly, to an improved method and construction for tracking the total usage time of such a device and for tracking the usage of features and components of such a multi-mode, multi-functional electronic device such as an electronic timepiece.
Multi-mode, multi-functional electronic devices having manually activated switches and an integrated circuit programmed to invoke predefined features in response to the activation of at least one of the manually activated switches are well known. For example, multi-mode electronic timepieces are known which include a dial or display, manually activatable switches (referred to as crowns or pushers), and an integrated circuit. The electronic timepiece may have multiple operating modes. For example, in a digital, multi-mode, electronic timepiece, the operating modes may include a time-of-day (TOD) mode, a chronograph (CHRONO) mode, an alarm setting (ALARM) mode, a countdown timer (TIMER) mode, and an alternate time zone (T2) mode. Generally, one of the pushers is activated to change from one operating mode to another. Another one or more of the pushers may be activated during setting functions to change information being exhibited during a currently activated operating mode.
Examples of such multi-mode, multi-functional electronic timepieces include commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,742,565, issued Apr. 21, 1998 to Cuinet et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,188 issued Jan. 01, 1991 to Thinesen; U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,773 issued Nov. 8, 1988 to Houlihan et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,864 issued Oct. 25, 1988 to Houlihan; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,784 issued Aug. 11, 1981 to Horan. Exemplary setting functions for the multi-mode electronic timepieces are described in commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. No.: 5,555,226, issued Sep. 10, 1996 to Lizzi. The disclosure of these commonly assigned, U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,742,565, 4,989,188, 4,783,773, 4,780,864, 4,283,784 and 5,555,226 are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
As the number of available operating modes and information to be exhibited and set increases, there may likewise be an increase in the desired number of pushers or sequencing thereof to activate the modes and/or to set the information exhibited therein. Further, the increasing number of modes and/or pushers may result in numerous procedural steps to set the information exhibited within the modes of the electronic device.
As can be appreciated, the numerous procedural steps increase the complexity of use and wear on particular components of the electronic device. It follows that it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain simplicity in the device""s functioning or sequencing.
Also, it would be advantageous to accumulate information on how consumers use the electronic devices. Firstly, it would be desirable to know the total time the device has been in use by the user. Such time period, by way of example, may start when the user first puts the device to use, may be when the user puts in batteries (if applicable) or may begin when the user activates certain button(s) in a particular sequence for the first time. Thereafter or simultaneously therewith, it would be desirable to know how often various features or functions of the electronic device are used to estimate, for example, the value of the feature to operators of the device. Additionally, it would be desirable to know how often various mechanical components of the device are used to predict, for example, the wear on the components and/or to determine their life. This information, in combination with knowing the actual total usage time of the device, can provide valuable information on the manner of use of the device itself. Such predictions may also permit the determination of the life of the power supply (i.e. a battery) of the device. It would also be advantageous to accumulate data to allow designers, for example, to simplify the operation of the device.
The inventor of the present invention has realized that currently there is no reliable way to achieve the aforementioned and below identified objectives.
Therefore, the present invention provides a construction and a method for reliably determining the usage of various features and/or mechanical components of an electronic device and the total usage time of the device itself, such as for a multi-mode, multi-functional electronic timepiece, without relying upon oral or written operator feedback. In this way, among other things, estimates of the frequency of use and predicted wear on component parts or the device itself may be improved.
Therefore, it is an object and advantage of this invention to provide a more reliable construction and method for determining the total usage time, or the usage of features and components of interest of an electronic device.
It is another object and advantage of this invention to provide a device construction and method of tracking total usage time of the device itself and of usage of features and components of an electronic device, such as a timepiece, to determine their value to customers, to predict wear and/or to estimate life of the device""s energy source such as its battery.
It is still another object and advantage of this invention to provide a device construction and method of tracking total usage time of an electronic device, and usage of features and components of the electronic device, to store such tracking information, to selectively retrieve the stored tracking information and to exhibit the information on a display or to transmit the information to another device for further processing.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
The foregoing and other problems are overcome and the objects and advantages are realized by an apparatus constructed in accordance with embodiments of this invention and by a method comprising the steps in accordance with the present invention, wherein an improved method and construction for tracking usage of a multi-mode electronic device is disclosed.
Generally speaking, in accordance with the present invention, a multi-mode electronic device having at least one manually activated switching mechanism and an integrated circuit operable in a plurality of modes, is provided. In accordance with one preferred embodiment, the electronic device comprises a detector for detecting an occurrence of a predetermined event, a counter for counting each of the detected occurrences, a storage device for storing a value representing an accumulation of each counted occurrence and an output device for selectively outputting the stored value. The output device may be a display device in or on the device itself. In another embodiment, the electronic device in accordance with the present invention preferably comprises a detector for detecting (a) manual activations of the at least one switching mechanism and (b) executions by the integrated circuit of at least one of the plurality of modes, a plurality of counters for counting each of the detected activations and of the detected executions, a storage device for storing an association of each of the plurality of counters to the at least one switching mechanism and to the at least one mode, the storage device further individually storing values representing an accumulation of the counted activations and executions, and an output device for selectively outputting the stored values.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a system for obtaining usage information in a multi-mode electronic device is provided. The system may comprise an electronic device comprising at least one manually activated switching mechanism and an integrated circuit operable in a plurality of modes, a detector for detecting (a) manual activations of the at least one switching mechanism and (b) executions by the integrated circuit of at least one of the plurality of modes, a plurality of counters for counting each of the detected activations and of the detected executions, a storage device for storing an association of each of the plurality of counters to the at least one switching mechanism and to the at least one mode, the storage device further individually storing values representing an accumulation of the counted activations and executions, software and/or hardware for selectively outputting the stored values, and a display device, operatively coupleable to the electronic device, for receiving the stored values outputted by the electronic device. The system may include a host computer, and the electronic device transmits the stored values to the host computer, and further wherein the host computer can transmit the stored values to the display device. Similarly, the device may transmit the stored values to the host computer over a carrier.
The electronic device constructed in accordance with the present invention may also be constructed to store and track total usage time of the device. In this case, the device preferably comprises a switching mechanism and an integrated circuit, coupled to the switching mechanism, that (a) evaluates a predetermined usage increment timer until a predetermined time period expires, (b) increments a total-usage counter at the expiration of the usage increment timer; (c) resets the timer to measure a next occurrence of the predetermined time period and (d) preferably continues to repeat steps (a) through (c). The method, appreciating the objective of knowing the value (representative of the total usage of the device) stored in the total-usage counter, provides for outputting the value stored in the total-usage counter when a predetermined sequence is entered by the activation mechanism.
Similarly, a method for tracking information in a multi-mode electronic device of the type having at least one manually activated switching mechanism and an integrated circuit operable in a plurality of modes is provided. A preferred method comprises the steps of detecting manual activations of the at least one switching mechanism, and storing values representing the number of manual activations detected. The method may also include the step of outputting the stored values. Outputting the stored values may also comprise the additional step of selectively exhibiting the stored values on a display. The step of outputting may include the steps of operatively coupling the device to a host computer and transmitting selected ones of the stored values to the host computer. The method may also comprise the steps of detecting operative executions of at least one of the plurality of modes, storing a second value representing the detected operative executions of the at least one mode and outputting the second value. The outputting step may include exhibiting the second value on a display. Also, measuring a duration of time representing an operative execution of the at least one mode, storing a duration value representing the measured duration of time, and outputting the duration value is provided by the present invention.
Still further, a method in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of detecting an occurrence of at least one predetermined event within the device, counting each of the detected occurrences, and storing a value representing an accumulation of each counted occurrence. The stored values may be selectively outputted. The electronic device may further include a display and, when in a traceability mode, the method includes the additional step of outputting includes exhibiting the stored value on the display.
Lastly, provided herein is a method for tracking total usage time of an electronic device of the type having at least one activation mechanism and an integrated circuit for storing such usage time, the method comprising the steps of (a) evaluating a predetermined usage increment timer until a predetermined time period expires, (b) incrementing a total-usage counter, (c) resetting the timer to measure a next occurrence of the predetermined time period, (d) repeating steps (a) through (c), and if it is desired to know the value (representative of the total usage of the device) stored in the total-usage counter, provides for (e) outputting the value stored in the total-usage counter when a predetermined sequence is entered by the activation mechanism.